


Summer and Winter

by tirsynni



Series: Changing Seasons [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27062479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tirsynni/pseuds/tirsynni
Summary: "I'll be waiting," Revali promised. "Here."Don't make me wait long."
Relationships: Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Changing Seasons [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975144
Comments: 8
Kudos: 134





	Summer and Winter

_ “Wait for me.” _

The first time Revali saw Link smile, it had been a cold day even by a Rito’s standards, cold enough that Princess Zelda looked concerned when Revali announced his plan to train Link. Cold enough for the Elder to lodge a wary statement, not wishing to push more in public. Yet there was only so much they could do when Link himself didn’t say no, even as everyone was aware how rarely Link spoke up for anything, especially something like a protest.

Cold enough for Link’s nose and cheeks to immediately blossom pink as soon as they left the village. Revali’s private little shooting range, nestled in the middle of snow and sharp winds and frozen rocks, didn’t help much. Yet the fire in his modest lodge burned hot against the outside chill and the icy updrafts, and the firelight made Link’s face  _ glow _ when he smiled. Drenched and shaking from one spill too many, his split lip bleeding from the additional movement, Link  _ smiled _ and held up his borrowed Rito bow in triumph. 

He had done it. He had successfully used Revali’s technique and hit all of the targets.

Flushed and freezing and bleeding, it was possible… just possible… that Revali fell in love with him then.

Revali coughed and flapped his wings. “Well! Good job, I suppose. Now practice it! Doing it in my lovely little range is one thing: making it muscle memory to perform in the field is another!”

Link’s smile hadn’t faded. Instead the idiot threw himself off the range with Princess Zelda’s strange Rito contraption to try again.

Perhaps  _ that _ had been the moment Revali fell in love. He never determined exactly when. It never quite seemed important.

_ “Wait for me. Here.” _

When Link joined him at Revali’s flight range one last time, neither knew it would be but the fear was there, shining clearly to Revali’s clever eyes. It was there in Link’s refusal to smile even though it was just the two of them. In Link’s lack of expression, the tightness of his shoulders.

The Champions gathered to accompany Princess Zelda to the last holy spring, where hopefully her powers would awaken. If they didn’t…

If they didn’t,  _ Revali _ was confident the might of the Champions was more than enough to handle this ancient foe. Too bad it was clear that Link didn’t feel the same.

He planned on waiting until after the Calamity was defeated. Win the physical battle, then win the battle with Princess Mipha. It was  _ possible _ , even if only slightly so, mildly, that Revali had doubts at first, but unlike Mipha, he knew to ceaselessly strive forward and to act. All of the Champions (except perhaps Link) knew of Mipha’s feelings and intentions. Revali became the Rito Champion due to his refusal to surrender.

In the evening before the beginning of the end, Revali crooned, pulling the bow from Link’s white-knuckled hands and nuzzling Link’s smooth cheek.

A new pink blossomed on Link’s cheeks. Revali was so close he heard Link’s breath hitch, saw Link’s eyes dilate. Confident of his victory, Revali whispered, “Say yes.”

It was one of the few times he heard Link speak before he died.

_ “I’ll be back.” _

A century later, the night before Link’s battle with the Calamity, Revali could not feel the cold, not like he used to, but he saw it in Link’s faint shivers, in the red of his cheeks and nose. Still, Link smiled at him, pink lips chapped but curving sweetly against the side of Revali’s beak.

In the winter of Hebra, Link was his eternal summer, even flushed from the chilled air. Revali never told him that. His pride had limits.

He wrapped his wings around Link, unsure if he was helping or hurting with the cold, but Link leaned into him. 

“I know you need to leave,” Link said quietly, so quietly the sharp wind almost stole his words. “But… if you could… wait for me. Here. After the battle. One way or another, I’ll be back. Promise.”

Revali huffed and rubbed his beak through Link’s golden hair, being careful to not disrupt the headdress. Link looked cold enough without losing the precious ruby.

The answer should have been easy: no. Revali died in the battle with Windblight. His time was done. The only thing keeping him from soaring in Hylia’s great endless skies was his duty: one last mission to fulfill. One last promise to keep. One last victory.

But he had lost so much! Link swore they called him  _ Master _ Revali now but it wasn’t like he could hear them say it. He never flew over the ocean. He never flew  _ Link _ over Hebra Mountains, letting him see the Goddess Lights from the sky. He had one night and one night alone with Link.

He never even had the chance to show off Link’s superior tastes to Mipha and Zelda.

As if sensing him weakening, Link pressed closer. He had always felt so warm to Revali when he was alive, but now Link felt like the summer sun soaking his cold feathers. It would never be enough to truly warm Revali, but in the numbness of death, it felt sweet. “Not for long. Please.”

_ Please _ , Link said. Revali’s tenuous control crumbled. It sounded more cajoling than actually pleading. Link didn’t plead well, another regret. Link demanded, sometimes at swordpoint, or remained silent and did whatever he wanted. In another life, Revali would have had time to make him enjoy pleading. It was a fantasy he enjoyed far too much over the last century.

“I have waited this long,” Revali agreed. “What is another day or two?”

Link smiled  _ that _ smile, and Revali could almost feel the summer sun on his wings again.

_ “I’ll be waiting.” _

By dawn Link was gone, and Revali shrieked his righteous fury when, after a long century, Vah Medoh finally attacked that damned monster. Revenge and victory was his!

_ “I’ll be waiting. Right here.” _

From his perch on Vah Medoh, Revali watched the battle as best he could. He saw the other Divine Beasts attack, and then there was a long pause before light blazed on Hyrule Field. When the light faded, Revali settled himself on Vah Medoh and waited.

And waited.

He didn’t notice when the sun set or when it rose again.

He didn’t notice when the seasons changed and winter came upon Rito Village, chasing the last of summer’s warmth away. 

_ “I’ll be waiting for you.” _

When another century passed, it was easy to not notice that, either.

_ “So hurry back. Don’t make me wait forever.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my [tumblr](https://tirsynni.tumblr.com/) for my Zelda and fandom. :D


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